Beagles as pets

[L&M]

I am going to see a beagle x at a local rescue centre today as am looking for a companion for my lab. They don't know what she is crossed with but from the photo she looks more like a mini hound that a traditional kc beagle to my inexpert eye.

Her history is not known - she was found by a local warden and has droopy teats so they think she may have been on a puppy farm.

As a seasoned foxhound puppy walker, I am well aware of what we might be taking on, in terms of obedience and recall. Is there any way I can tell if she has come from a hunting background, or has been a pet that has fallen on hard times? I will check her ears for any tattoos....we have no beagle packs near us, but apprecaite she may have travelled.

Does anyone on here have a beagle as a family pet? If so what are the pitfalls?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[chestnut cob]

My parents had one and said it was untrainable, though maybe that was just them..

Someone I work with has a 3yo beagle. They have spent a fortune on various professional dog trainers and behaviourists... it has a serious problem with recall, once it gets the scent of something, it's gone and won't come back. I know he has spent hours trying to find it before now. I believe the latest behaviourist has just told them to keep it on the lead all of the time!!

 

[Oberon]

Sounds just like Huskys, Malamutes etc......

Might be necessary to invest in a spare lunge line...

http://www.beagleadvice.org.uk/

 

[Aces_High]

I was just chatting to a friend this weekend about getting a Beagle. Sidney - how did you get on?

 

[cassie summers]

My parents had one and said it was untrainable, though maybe that was just them..

Someone I work with has a 3yo beagle. They have spent a fortune on various professional dog trainers and behaviourists... it has a serious problem with recall, once it gets the scent of something, it's gone and won't come back. I know he has spent hours trying to find it before now. I believe the latest behaviourist has just told them to keep it on the lead all of the time!!

my freind has one its a bloody nightmare when it picks up a scent just buggers off same as bassetts we had a blood hound when i was a kid same thing maybe its something to do with ending in "hound" maybe they are pack animals i am no expert so dont shoot me down also i have a terrier so easy to train

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

One of the girls at work has one and she spends all day shouting on it. It never listens to her, it catchs half a scent and it's gone, in fact it just generally buggers off as and when it pleases. She has had an electric collar on and when it's on it works, the owner then takes it off after a few days and the dog is ok, hangs about, dosn't wander but as soon as it realises that the electric collar isn't on it's offski again. It's got to the stage that she can't do her job properly because of the damned dog! She can't leave it at home as it howls the place down and chews everythig in sight. She can't leave it in the car for obvious reasons and you can't really keep it locked in a cage all day when the other dogs are runing around willy nilly.

Have fun if you get one! And invest in plenty of throat sweets!

 

[L&M]

Not for us I am afraid - she was in a very sorry state physically, and would just be a walking vets bill. She had appalling teeth (meant to be 6 but would have said much older from the state of them), an untreated hernia, both eyes infected......the list goes on. She was very friendly though.

No evidence of a tattoo so would assume she had come from a private home originally and not a hunt. What was a bit wierd is that she had come in 2 mnths ago, and would have thought they would have resolved at least some of the health issues before advertising her for re homing. They also had never let her off the lead so couldn't tell me how strong her hunting instinct was, or whether she was the type to escape or run off - all the things I needed to know.

The place was rather run down, with dogs shut in stables everywhere. I think the rescue centre needed 'rescuing' itself, and did wonder if it is actually licensed - the owner told me they were £80k in debt because of the animals, so do wonder the logic of their set up, but bless them for trying, and hope she finds a home ok.

 

[Dovorian]

Yes, we had 'Benny Beagle' for a good few years. He was a cast off from a local pack as he just would not hunt, yes, he was jolly naughty, he would open the freezer and only take meat joints or sausages and eat them from frozen! On the flip side, he came out hacking with us all over the place and the only episode was a chance encounter with a neighbouring pack of foxhounds, Benny joined them and we hunted for 3 hours behind them!

Benny finally departed after his best frined (OH's 17.3 hunter) accidentally trod on him as they slept together, Benny was old and the multiple break of his leg meant there was only one decision.... RIP Ben, dearest beagle, naughty chap and very good companion!

 

[SusieT]

If she's still in poor health too months on, I would be reporting the rescue to authorities, all those sound like treatable issues and sounds like the rescue might not be doing that much good?

 

[L&M]

I know what you are saying SusieT - I was actually quite concerned. They said they won't put any dog down, but fear that as they are struggling financially may be doing more harm than good, despite best intentions.

They said she has a vets appt booked for the eye infection, and had already had a course of anti biotic drops that haven't worked. She is also meant to be being having the hernia looked at at the same time, but suspect they were hoping somone would re-home her with the existing issues, therefore saving them having to find the money for another vets bill.

What a sad situation....